April 27, 2009 Page 1 of 2 Top Issues Recommended for Consideration from “Big Ticket” sub-­‐group, listed in priority order All recommendations will need to be evaluated further prior to a decision to implement. Those items marked with an asterisk have the potential to be implemented sooner. 1. Facilities. Implement immediately courses of action that improve facility utilization which include: a. Move from a 16-­‐week semester to a 15-­‐week semester. b. Use classroom spaces more effectively by spreading classes throughout the day. c. Eliminate an entire building by consolidating uses (e.g., Baker Hall to Bartlett). d. * Consolidate summer and evening classes in fewer buildings to reduce heating and cooling expenses. e. * Shift summer hours to earlier start times and earlier end times to cut utility expenses. f. Limit July summer school session to cut utility expenses. 2. Program re-­‐structuring. a. Implement an internal accounting system within sixty days that allocates the true cost of operation to all programs and assigns all direct revenues to programs that generate the respective revenue stream. b. Review academic and non-­‐academic units and appropriately categorize units which are auxiliaries. (examples may museum, continuing education, GBPAC, and student health clinic) i. Consistently apply administrative overhead charges to all auxiliaries. ii. Reduce general funds allocated to auxiliaries, phased over five years c. Reduce administrative and management overhead through consolidations and mergers. i. Consolidate the graduate college with other existing college structures. ii. Consolidate smaller department within colleges or consolidate colleges (e.g., Physics and Earth Science, CSBS and CHFA). iii. Merge University Advancement under Administration and Finance and phase out general fund financial support. iv. Merge additional units to consolidate administrative functions. v. Centralize support services with other institutions (e.g., payroll, human resources, and library services). d. Eliminate programs/services which are not mission critical i. Examples include North American Review, Museum and print services ii. Reduce or eliminate computer labs iii. Pools at Price Lab. April 27, 2009 Page 2 of 2 3. Outsourcing. Establish a task force to evaluate the cost/benefit outsourcing, in-­‐sourcing or partnering various services that can be provided by other public or private entities. a. Formulate a listing of service that can be competitively priced. Will need to clearly define level of service(s) expected. b. Potential services that could be considered for outsourcing include: email systems, printing, UMPR, Public Safety, electrical generations, refuse collection, street maintenance (snow removal, sweeping and repair), sidewalk repair, WRC pool use and maintenance, facility rental (gyms and pool) and auxiliaries such as student health clinic. c. Form a Price Lab Taskforce to evaluate the relevance of past studies and explore the possibilities of sharing facilities and class sections within a building with the Cedar Falls Schools District. 4. Teaching load. Insure all tenure track faculty are teaching a full load. a. * Empower the provost to strictly monitor and enforce standardized teaching load policies and practices across the entire institution for all faculty (including department heads). All reductions in teaching load be immediately evaluated and rescind those which cannot be justified, are not financial justified or where practices are inconsistently applied. Credit hour load may be an appropriate metric to utilize when evaluating faculty load. b. Dismiss faculty for cause when no longer able or willing to teach competently. c. Investigate alternative course delivery. d. * When any position at the university becomes vacant, the budget line reverts back to the President for reallocation as needed. 5. Employee benefits. Research options to reduce health care costs. a. Formally ask the Board of Regents, State of Iowa and State Executive Branch to form a “global” Labor/Management Committee to determine methods of reducing State employee health insurance expenses. b. Implement comprehensive employee wellness options. c. Evaluate increasing annual deductible. d. Reevaluate how part-­‐time employees accrue benefits. e. * Evaluate extending the vesting period for retirement plans. Early retirement: The group understands that an early retirement incentive plan is being implemented. The university should implement the plan based on pre-­‐adopted succession and reorganization initiatives that reduce personnel costs in the long-­‐term.